Meet the cast of Hartford Stage Young Company’s Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth!
Louis Brown (Macbeth)
In his third summer with Hartford Stage Young Company’s Breakdancing Shakespeare program, Louis finds himself with the largest role in his acting career. He’s playing the title character in Macbeth, and will be the first to admit that it’s not an easy part. “When I first got the script I flipped through it, and I realized I have a line on practically every page,” Louis said. “And it’s a crazy role. I kill a lot of people.” With some help from the directing staff and fellow cast mate Josh Allegre, Louis is working hard to master the role of Macbeth. “Josh has helped me out by giving me a really good memorization tactic,” Louis said. Louis originally heard about the Breakdancing Shakespeare program through a friend who was in the show, and joined the cast of A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a dancer. But when the actor playing Demetrius dropped out, Louis was asked to step up and fill the role, and that’s when he officially caught the acting bug. Now Louis comes back each summer to work on his performance skills. “Acting is relaxing for me. I like being able to put my own magic into my characters,” Louis shared. “And I’ve been able to get a lot of good advice about acting from other cast members.” The one downside in playing Macbeth for Louis is that he doesn’t get to dance as much as he’d like to, but he loves the addition of break dancing in a Shakespeare show. Louis believes that “adding break dancing with Shakespeare definitely brings the story out to a younger audience,” and that Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most creative shows. However his favorite Shakespeare show is A Comedy of Errors because of its humor, and overall Louis, a self proclaimed goofball, prefers comedies. This fall, Louis will be a senior at University High School of Science and Engineering, and after his graduation plans to go to a college where he can major in dance. When he’s not practicing his lines, Louis spends his time outside of rehearsal taking online classes and hanging out with friends, including his cast mates. “The cast is crazy,” Louis laughs. “We have a really good time together and really are one big family. Everyone brings something different to the table, and that’s what makes us friends, and that’s what makes the show work.”
Eileen Cannon (Lady Macbeth)
Like many members of the Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth cast, Eileen first heard about the program on a whim. “My parents wanted me to get a summer job and I wanted to do something with theater, so when I saw the audition information online it was perfect,” Eileen remembered. Eileen has been performing in shows for over ten years now, after appearing as Tiny Tim in a production of Scrooge when she was 7. “I got into musical theater because I could sing, so my parents wanted to sign me up for a choir. But I was too young, so instead they signed me up to be in a show,” Eileen explained. A few of Eileen’s favorite productions she’s been a part of include Annie, Peter Pan, Footloose, and Urinetown, which she just finished performing in two weeks before the Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth performance. Even with all of her theater experience, Eileen was still nervous about working with Shakespeare last year, but now it’s something she looks forward too because she loves being able to play big, dramatic characters. As for combining Shakespeare with break dancing, that was an idea that took a little longer to get used to. “I first thought it was really weird because it doesn’t seem to fit together at all,” Eileen said. “But now after seeing how the rhythm and the rhymes work together, we’ve [the cast have] all decided that if Shakespeare was alive today he’d probably be a rapper.” Besides learning how to work with Shakespeare, Eileen is also going to be taking away a whole new skill set. “The classes we take have been really helpful. I had my tonsils out, so I’ve really learned how to use my voice again,” Eileen said. “And even our lunch breaks are mentoring sessions and people in the cast are teaching everyone else. You come back every year because of the people.”
Kelly Moquin (Witch #1)
When Kelly Moquin joined the Breakdancing Shakespeare program three years ago, she was an actress who was learning how to dance. Now, almost three years later, as Kelly’s performing in her final production with the Hartford Stage Young Company, she’s leaving as a dancer. “I joined [Breakdancing Shakespeare] because I liked to act and I was looking for a summer job,” Kelly recalled. “And I still do like to act, but being a part of this program made me want to dance more.” Since joining, Kelly has decided to take up modern and lyrical dance, along with learning how to break dance in the program. But a few new dance moves will not be the only thing Kelly takes away from the program; she’s also leaving with a whole new group of friends. “The best thing about this program is the people,” Kelly stated. “It’s nice to meet people outside of my town and it’s nice to meet people who are different than me, but have similar interests. I love coming back each year because the cast is fun to hang out with.” As one of the three witches in this year’s production of Macbeth, Kelly spends the most time with the other two witches played by Chelsea Bariola and AJ Martinez. “We speak in Spanish to each other,” Kelly said. “And no one else in the cast can understand us. We’re really close.” Even though she prefers comedies to dramas, Kelly is still enjoying her time in Macbeth this summer. “I like the text of the play because it has a lot of strong messages about human nature,” Kelly said. In the fall, Kelly will likely be continuing to dance at Sienna College, where she’s been accepted to a special eight year medical program. Kelly’s goal is to one day become a doctor, which is why she spends her time outside of Breakdancing Shakespeare working in the Emergency Room at a clinic in Marlborough.
Alexisjacqueline Martinez (Witch # 2)
For Alexisjacqueline, who is known as Aj to her cast mates, being a part of the Breakdancing Shakespeare is a family affair. “My brother was in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and practically everyone in my family dances,” Aj shared. “And my brothers were both like ‘not a lot of girls break, so it would be cool if you did,” so I decided to give break dancing a shot.” That was four years ago, and Aj is currently starring as one of the three witches in this year’s production of Macbeth. “I love being a witch. It’s like we’re our own small ensemble, so we’re able to make a lot of our own choices. And I hope we get cool costumes,” Aj added. Even after being in the Breakdancing Shakespeare program for four years, Aj still thinks the combination of adding break dancing to a Shakespeare play is genius. “It brings in younger audiences and makes the story more understandable,” she explained. It’s safe to say that over the course of four years, Aj has learned a lot from the Breakdancing Shakespeare program. “One of the biggest things I’ve learned is how to communicate through actions, and the program has also taught me a lot being a professional and how to act in the workplace,” said Aj. When Aj leaves Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth rehearsals in the evening, her role switches from student to teacher. Aj, a second degree black belt, teaches tae kwon do at a studio near her house and she tutors other kids at the studio in English. “I love working with kids because they’re always excited,” Aj said. “A lot of the kids have told me they’re going to try to come see the show, and my masters are coming too.” After being recruited by her older brother to join Breakdancing Shakespeare, Aj has begun to recruit other people to join the program, including her other brother, Niko, and her friend, Anh. “I talk about the program a lot, and I tell everyone they should join.”
Chelsea Bariola (Witch #3)
Chelsea Barzola joined the Breakdancing Shakespeare program specifically for the dancing. In fact, she had never acted before, but after being cast as a dancer in A Comedy of Errors, Chelsea still didn’t need to do too much acting. However, things are different this summer as Chelsea stepped up to fill the role of one of the three witches after another cast mate decided to leave the production. “It’s a big role with a lot of dances and a lot of acting,” Chelsea said about her role. “The acting is a challenge. It’s not hard to memorize the lines, but it’s hard to keep a serious face.” Even though Chelsea is getting a chance to show off her acting abilities this summer, her favorite part is still the dancing. She loves learning to break dance, even if the moves are sometimes hard to pick up. “Some people are more experienced break dancers, so they get the moves right away,” Chelsea explained. “But I usually have to work at them. I’ve learned I have to be patient when learning new moves.” Chelsea also revealed that members of the cast are always willing to help out when someone can’t figure out a move or remember their lines. “We’re all from different towns, but we still all get along,” she said about her cast mates. Coming into this summer, Chelsea was familiar with Macbeth after having read it in school. Even though she likes the creativity of the story and the variety of different characters, it’s still not her favorite show. “I like Romeo and Juliet,” Chelsea admits. “It’s romantic and it’s nice to think that romance can come into real life.”
Brandon Couloute (Banquo)
Brandon, a recent graduate of Northwest Catholic High School, is performing in his second show with the Hartford Stage Young Company’s Breakdancing Shakespeare program. Brandon has been dancing for over seven years and break dancing for the past three years, and after hearing about the Breakdancing Shakespeare program decided to audition last year. Brandon had no hesitation about coming back to Hartford Stage for a second year because both the cast and experience were great. His favorite part of the program is “being able to hang out with people who share similar interests and are all working to get better.” Brandon has even started calling the cast “the dream team” because everyone is coming together from different towns to put on the best show they can. Although he preferred last year’s show simply because it was a comedy and he’s a self proclaimed “funny guy,” Brandon is quick to add that he still likes the serious and grim side to Macbeth. Learning and memorizing Shakespeare has been a challenge, but Brandon has found that the more he practices with it, the more he understands it and he thinks the combination of the classical Shakespeare and the modern break dancing is great. “It’s good to surprise people,” Brandon said. Outside of the theater, Brandon spends a lot of his time teaching hip-hop and break dancing at places in Simsbury and West Hartford, and different schools in the area. He teaches kids of all ages. “I have this ability and it would be selfish not to pass it on,” Brandon said about why he chose to start teaching. “It’s important to pass these skills on.” Once the curtain closes on Macbeth, Brandon will be attending Central Connecticut State University in the fall where he plans to pursue his passion of dancing.
Bryan Destin (Duncan)
After sitting in the audience of a Hartford Stage Young Company’s Breakdancing Shakespeare production, Bryan knew that he wanted to be in one. After auditioning last year and spending the summer on the waiting list, Bryan is finally getting the chance to make his Hartford Stage debut when he will step on stage portraying the role of Duncan in this year’s show, Macbeth. “There’s nothing else like this,” Bryan said of the program, speaking specifically about how he’s never heard of another show that has break dancing in between lines of iambic pentameter. Bryan also went on to add that there’s no where else that has a cast like this. “The first day people just clicked,” he said. “We all learn from each other, and we’re able to learn our own strengths and weaknesses through each other.” Bryan certainly has a busy schedule this summer. In the mornings he comes to Hartford Stage where the whole Breakdancing Shakespeare cast takes classes in the morning and rehearses the show in the afternoon. Following rehearsal for Macbeth, Bryan then drives to West Hartford where he’s involved in the Summer Arts Festival production of “Gypsy.” “I do get tired, but I just kind of push through it,” Bryan said about his busy schedule. When he has a day off, Bryan spends his time dancing. After bring taught to break dance by another member of the cast, Brandon, Bryan has been breaking the past four years and has danced in studios from Hartford to Meriden. Bryan will be attending college in the fall where he plans to major in music and pursue a career in music education. For the final question, Bryan was asked specifically about his part in Macbeth to which he replied, “It’s cool because I’m the king.”
Sacha Brooks (Macduff)
Sacha Brooks is a 2010 graduate of Conard High School and the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, who is currently in his fourth year with the Breakdancing Shakespeare program. When he first heard about Breakdancing Shakespeare, the program was in need of rappers, so Sacha, a rapper since seventh grade, thought he’d give it a shot. As it turns out, the program opened a new door for Sacha. “I learned about the Academy here,” Sacha explained. “A bunch of the kids in the show went there, so I decided to audition and transfer there.” Going beyond introducing him to acting, Breakdancing Shakespeare also taught Sacha to dance and has helped him improve his rapping. “It’s helped me write,” Sacha said about working with Shakespearian language and rhythm. “It’s given me a new vocabulary and a new appreciation for the English language.” Outside the Breakdancing Shakespeare program, Sacha has appeared on stage in Urban League and Capital Classics productions, and in his school productions. When asked what was unique about a Breakdancing Shakespeare production, Sacha responded motivation. “In school, it’s the teachers and adults who really want the production to be good, but here it’s a self motivation. I want it to be good, and the whole cast wants it to be great.” So after a few years, what is it that keeps Sacha coming back to Breakdancing Shakespeare? “The crowd. The people are unique. They’re your family,” Sacha said. “There’s so many different types of people, with all different approaches, but it’s not just about where you’re from. Everyone takes something from this program.” After performing as Macduff in Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth, Sacha will be attending Pace University in the fall where he plans to study theatre and acting.
Joshua T. Alleyne (Malcolm)
Ironic as it may seem, Joshua is one of the few members of the cast who joined the Breakdancing Shakespeare program to improve his acting skills. Joshua has been acting for five years and has been in a number of shows. “I love to act. When you act it’s easier to know yourself,” Joshua explained. “In playing other people you can find the truth and better understand yourself.” He may have had a lot of acting experience, but before joining Breakdancing Shakespeare Joshua had no dance experience. “I first heard about Breakdancing Shakespeare when they came to perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream at my school, and then a former instructor recommended that I audition,” Joshua said. “I never would have imagined that hip hop and Shakespeare would go together, but it’s creative.” Not only has the program given Joshua a chance to learn break dancing, but it’s also allowed him to experience working with Shakespeare’s language and Old English. “I like learning the meaning of old English and Shakespeare’s intent behind his text and characters,” Joshua explained. “Shakespeare is very socially smart. He understands people really well.” Another first that Joshua gets to experience through the Breakdancing Shakespeare program is through his part in Macbeth. “I’m playing Malcolm, and it’s the first time I’m playing royalty,” Joshua laughed. Outside of acting Joshua’s other passion is writing. He writes anything from short stories to poems to essays about philosophy. “One day I want to write a story just like Shakespeare,” Joshua said. “Or a play.” But before he moves behind the scenes, Joshua does one day hope to be an actor, either on stage or on screen, and the Breakdancing Shakespeare program has given him new skills to help him achieve his dream.
Jessenia Ortega (Lady Macduff/Donalbain)
As a student of Hartford’s Sports and Medical Sciences Academy, Jessenia doesn’t have the opportunity to act or dance in school. “There’s no theater related extracurricular activities at my school, so I have to do some research to find shows to be in,” Jessenia explained. “And that’s how I found out about Breakdancing Shakespeare.” Most of Jessenia’s acting experience prior to joining the cast of Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth was from acting in short plays at the Hartford Neighborhood Association. But like many of the other cast members of Macbeth, Jessenia has a background in dance. “I’ve been dancing since I was ten. When I was in middle school I was a dancer in my friends’ band,” said Jessenia. “So the break dancing is still a challenge for me, but I do think it’s easier for me to learn because of my hip hop background.” One thing Jessenia was completely unfamiliar with before the Breakdancing Shakespeare program was working with a Shakespearian script. “I never understood Shakespeare,” Jessenia admits. “But then when we add the dances into the story, it does make it easier to understand and follow.” Jessenia does think that Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s best works, but her favorite is still Hamlet, simply because of the amount of drama in the play. When she’s not spending time on stage playing the parts of both Donalbain and Lady Macduff, Jessenia likes to spend time with her family and cook. Her favorite dish to make is pasta. When asked what her favorite part of Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth was, Jessenia was quick to reply, “meeting and getting to know people who like the same thing as me…. Everyone in the cast is talented in their own way, and we all do get along.” Like many of her cast mates, Jessenia’s learned more than a few dances and her lines from the Breakdancing Shakespeare program. “I’ve learned not to give up. If things like lines and dance moves aren’t easy the first time, you just have to keep working.”
Michael Davis Jr.
Michael Davis Jr. is a rising senior at Bloomfield High School. Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth is his second production with the program. Michael originally decided to audition after reading about the audition in his town’s local newspaper and thinking that it could be interesting. Having no prior theater experience, Michael had no idea what to expect at his first audition. “I wore a shirt and tie,” Michael said. “So when I had to dance I took off my tie, my shirt, and I danced in my t-shirt, slacks, and in my socks because I was wearing dress shoes.” His unusual dress along with his talent must have caught the attention of the directors because Michael was cast in last year’s A Comedy of Errors. “I was surprised at how fun it was,” Michael admitted, which definitely influenced his decision to come back this year. Michael, a self-described goofy kid, was glad that in a serious play like Macbeth he was cast as the Porter. “I’m playing Macbeth’s porter. I’m the only comic relief in the show.” Outside of the theater, Michael is an accomplished rapper. He started rapping at the age of seven after watching “Freestyle Friday.” Michael then moved on to performing at open mic nights in Hartford where he met an executive that invited him down to a competition at the New York Wings Theatre. He won the competition and has since signed a record deal with Interscope Records, where he has a single focus and a music video coming out later this month. Michael believes that being a part of a Shakespearian production has improved his rapping. “I’m becoming more lyrical,” Michael said about writing after working with the language. “And my raps have more intellect.” The other good thing about being a part of the Breakdancing Shakespeare cast is that it’s allowed Michael to meet other artists. He’s even now currently working with another cast member Omari Johnson, who is helping write music for his raps.
Marveline Carter
Three years ago, Marveline almost chose the Artist Collective over Breakdancing Shakespeare. “The first year I applied, my friend gave me an application with all the summer dance programs on it,” said Marveline. “I applied to a few places, and got accepted into the Artist Collective program and Breakdancing Shakespeare.” Marveline made the decision to join Breakdancing Shakespeare: Antony and Cleopatra because she was already familiar with Artist Collective and she wanted to try something new. She is definitely glad she made the choice she did. “My first year in Antony and Cleopatra was fun. I was with people my own age, performing on stage, and it combined dancing and acting,” Marveline said. Marveline especially likes that the Breakdancing Shakespeare program combines dancing and acting because she loves to do both. She has a little experience acting in middle school and classroom plays to go along with her ten plus years of dance experience. “I’ve taken dance classes with my mom, classes at the Artist Collective, classes in hip hop and reggae,” Marveline shared. “I’ve only been break dancing since Antony and Cleopatra, but I like it because with break dancing you can put your own style into it. It is hard though because you need upper body strength.” Marveline is a recent addition to the Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth cast, stepping up to fill an opening left by someone who chose to leave the production. “I was happy to come in, even if it was a few weeks late,” Marveline said. “I missed auditions because of a track meet, and by the time I finally went to the Hartford Stage office to audition, all the parts had already been filled, so they put my name on a list and then they called me two weeks ago. It hasn’t been too hard to come in last minute because I already knew what to expect with Antony and Cleopatra.” Marveline is enjoying her second chance to be in the Breakdancing Shakespeare program, and is looking forward to the actual show. “I love the intensity of performing and the adrenaline rush,” she shared. Marveline will be a senior this fall at Bloomfield High School. She hopes to one day become a neonatal nurse.
Niko Martinez
Niko may not be the youngest in his family, but he was the last person to join Hartford Stage Young Company’s Breakdancing Shakespeare program. In fact, this is his little sister Aj’s fourth year in the program, but only Niko’s first. “My whole family has been in it. I was just always too busy to join,” Niko explained. Even with it only being his first year in the program, Niko is having no trouble keeping up with the rest of the cast. “I’ve been break dancing for four years now. A friend got me into it,” Niko said. “And I’m also a marshal arts teacher, so that definitely helps with the dancing and the choreographed fights.” Niko has been teaching marshal arts at a studio in his hometown of Manchester for five years, and says that the best part of his job is watching kids smile. He plans on pursuing a career as a marshal arts instructor and will be attending Manchester Community College in the fall. The rest of Niko’s summer will however be filled with Shakespeare. “He’s okay. Sometimes it can be stressful trying to get a handle on his stuff,” Niko said about the bard. “But adding in break dancing makes it good. Shakespeare can get boring, so interesting moves balance the words.” Along with Shakespeare, Niko’s summer has also been filled with spending time with all the members of the cast. “They’re all amazing. Everyone is so full of life,” Niko commented. “It’s a really diverse group of people and everyone has their own talents.” Niko may be enjoying his first experience in the world of acting, but he’s pretty sure Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth will also be his last acting experience. “There are different aspects of acting I’ve liked, but this is probably it for me,” Niko said. “So far my favorite part has been just putting the whole thing together.”
Gina Salvatore
Gina is a rising senior attending both Wethersfield High School and the Greater Hartford Academy for the Arts where she is a musical theatre major. Her first acting experience came in seventh grade when her friend from Select Choir convinced her to audition for a production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Since then, Gina has been in productions with the Wethersfield Teen Theater Company, the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, and this is her second year as part of the cast of Breakdancing Shakespeare. She first auditioned to be a part of Breakdancing Shakespeare: A Comedy of Errors after seeing an application for the Hartford Stage summer programs and thinking “I can do that!” But getting into the program wasn’t as easy. “When I finally found out about the program it was the day the application was due, so I printed out online and filled it out, but I had to wait for my dad to come home and sign it,” Gina recalls. However, Gina did get her application in on time and then was cast in A Comedy of Errors, and is now returning for her second year in Breakdancing Shakespeare, playing the role of Ross. She loved learning the break dancing and is enjoying all the stage combat this year. One of Gina’s favorite things about the program is how everyone learns from everyone else. “I learn from watching everyone,” Gina elaborated. “Like Sacha. He’s such a real, fluid actor, so when I watch him I learn how to incorporate his style into my acting.” She also mentioned that Nina Pinchin, the director, has taught her a lot. “Nina’s taught me so much about acting. She’s a great director and she always has her vision come through on stage.” Looking beyond high school, Gina wants to pursue a major in musical theatre in college. “I want to be a triple threat and do it all,” she said before adding that she’d love to be in one of her two favorite shows, A Chorus Line or In the Heights.
Omari Johnson
Omari, a rising junior at Rocky Hill High School, is a first year member of the Breakdancing Shakespeare cast who was originally hesitant to even audition for the show. “My aunt told me about the program,” Omari, who’s aunt is Hartford Stage artistic director Hana Sharif, shared. “She told me I should audition for breakdancing Shakespeare and when I asked what the first thing she said was and she said ‘breakdancing’ again I told her I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t dance. I have the rhythm of a blind white man.” Eventually Omari relented and decided to appease his aunt by auditioning to be in the show. After memorizing Sonnet 71 for his monologue, Omari showed up at the audition ready to give the dancing his best shot. “It was hard,” Omari said about the dance audition. “I was with the two best breakers we have, but I put in a lot of effort. I wasn’t afraid to step out of my comfort zone, and I think that helped get me noticed.” Outside of Breakdancing Shakespeare rehearsals, Omari’s passion is music. He’s been writing and composing music for about four years. “My grandfather had a keyboard in the basement that had a track recorder and that’s what I started on,” Omari explains. “I just really love music and really loved creating it.” Since then, Omari’s moved on to using computer software to compose and he’s starting piano lessons in the fall because he likes to constantly expand himself into different music and genres. “I listen to everything, and I’ve yet to find something I don’t like,” Omari said. When asked what his favorite thing about the Breakdancing Shakespeare program was, Omari replied, “working with people who have the same interests as me. There’s a strong arts community here, and it’s given me a chance to grow as an artist.”
Shamiel Dias
Shameil Dias, a rising junior at the Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts, may be the youngest member of the Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth, but she doesn’t let being the youngest stop her from keeping up with the rest of the cast when it comes to break dancing. Shameil has been dancing for over eight years now and originally auditioned for the Breakdancing Shakespeare program because of the unique combination of dancing and Shakespeare. “I love Shakespeare and I love dancing,” Shameil said. “My first year in the program, it was really the first year I would have been able to work, so I found this new summer opportunity and joined with my brother.” Even though her brother was unable to be a part of this year’s production, Shameil didn’t think twice about not coming back for a second summer. “The people are all amazing, and so is the show,” Shameil explained. “Mixing Shakespeare and break dancing is a very unorthodox thing that appeals to more people because it’s that mix of old fashioned with modern. They shouldn’t go together, but they do.” While most members of the cast like Shakespeare, very few have a passion for it like Shameil does, and most of that passion stems from the work she’s done with the Breakdancing Shakespeare program. “I used to sleep in class when we read Shakespeare, but then when I started doing text analysis last year [for A Comedy of Errors], it really opened my eyes. With Shakespeare, there’s 20 different ways to look at everything, and I really like that.” Another thing Shameil likes about Shakespeare is how the poetry flows with a rhythm, but that’s not too surprising considering she is a dancer. Besides dancing, Shameil loves to both act and write. “Acting is in the same category as dancing for me,” she said. “Both are able to put you into a different place and allow you to get things off your chest.” As for writing, Shameil prefers to write poetry and short stories. Her favorite story? Macbeth of course. “The curse drew me in first, but the intelligence in the text is what makes you want to reread it,” Shameil said about the play. “You can learn a lot from it, and the questions of destiny and fates verses want really make you think.”
Luisantonio Rosado
The first year Luis auditioned to be a part of the Breakdancing Shakespeare program, he didn’t make it. “When I tried out last year they told me my acting wasn’t there yet,” Luis remembered. “So I made sure to work on my acting over the year.” Luis’ hard work must have paid off because he was cast for this year’s production of Breakdancing Shakespreare: Macbeth, and this show will mark his acting debut. So then why would a teenager who doesn’t act want to join this program? To break dance, of course. “I’ve been break dancing for three years,” Luis said. “And when I saw this program, I thought it would be a good way to practice breaking everyday and work on new moves.” But slowly the Breakdancing Shakespeare program has become more than just a place to dance. “The classes are really helpful,” Luis said. “They’re about getting ready to stand on your own two feet and getting ready to move out, and if you take advantage of them are useful.” The learning doesn’t end in the classes either. “The dancers all share moves with each other, and then the actors share their acting tips,” Luis said about his fellow cast mates. “Plus the actors are always asking us to teach them new moves. Everyone gets along well. It’s good to meet people from different areas of Connecticut, and be able to hang out with the people who live near me.” Outside of the Breakdancing Shakespeare program, Luis, a rising senior at Northwest Catholic High School, plays soccer, runs track and likes to draw and paint. He plans to pursue a degree in psychology after high school. Even though Shakespeare isn’t on his list of favorite things, Luis still finds the story of Macbeth intriguing. “It’s about the effects of what happens to people when they do something negative,” Luis said, describing the play. “And the break dancing mixes in well, making it new.”
Anh Tran
“My original plan for the summer was to go to the Artist Collective and use the summer to practice breaking, but then I got into Hartford Stage.” And as they say, the rest is history, and that’s how Anh Tran joined the cast of Breakdancing Shakespeare: Macbeth, along with receiving a little push from his friend Aj, who’s also in this year’s cast. Anh, a seasoned break dancer, believes that adding in breaking to a Shakespeare show spices up the play. “It makes it more interesting,” Anh said. “And this year, all the music is original for the play, which makes it tough for us because there’s not always a real break dancing beat, but it’s cool.” In his first experience on the stage, Anh has one line and is enjoying acting, but says it doesn’t compare to his true passion of break dancing. Anh originally started break dancing before high school, and sophomore year of high school help founded a breaking club at Manchester High School. A rising senior this year, Anh is now the president of the break dancing club. “Breaking takes time to master and people give up,” Anh said about his craft. “When you learn breaking, you have to learn the moves, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Breaking is a culture; it’s part of life. Dancing is the truest expression of yourself.” This summer has been a chance for Anh to try something different, whether it’s acting on stage, learning new dance moves, or hanging out with teenagers from all different towns. “The cast is cool,” Anh said. “It’s a group of talented people, and all these different talents coming together make the show good.”
